Smarten Support Portal Updates – April – 2025!

We invite you to explore our latest knowledgebase articles and to join the Smarten user community on Smarten Support Portal.

If you have not registered yet, Click Here to obtain your login credentials.

If you don’t find what you need in the Support Portal, we hope you will contact us with your questions, comments or suggestions. We are here to help and to support your business goals and success!

BI Tools and Augmented Analytics That Ensure User Adoption and ROI

Ensure ROI, TCO and User Adoption with the Right BI Tools

When a business sets out to implement BI tools or self-serve augmented analytics, it must consider the entire technology landscape of the business, the expectations of end-users, the cost of the solution, how easily it can be upgraded and integrated and, well…so much more!

 

‘To ensure user adoption and achieve the ROI and TCO the business deserves, take the time to do the work. Develop requirements, consider the features and functionality of a solution and compare those to your use cases and your user expectations.’

 

Management teams do not take kindly to poor Return on Investment (ROI ) or Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and if the business has had difficult projects in the past, the next time a software solution is presented for approval, senior managers will remember the challenges and failures of the past!

 

Still, when you are attempting to transition business users into Citizen Data Scientists, there is bound to be some pushback from users and that pushback, combined with senior management concerns can and WILL bring your project to its knees if you do not anticipate and address these concerns.

 

Here are some statistics that will help you to understand the issues faced by businesses in implementing BI tools and analytics:
  • The global BI adoption rate is 26%
  • On average, businesses use at least four different BI tools
  • 97% of the data gathered by businesses is not used
  • 74% of employees express dissatisfaction and are overwhelmed when working with business data

 

In order to assure successful deployment, user adoption, improved Return on Investment (ROI) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), the business should include detailed requirements in its solution selection. When choosing a BI tool and augmented analytics solution for your business, one of the most crucial concerns is the features and functionality of the prospective solution and how this solution will meet user and organizational needs. When planning for deployment of BI tools and augmented analytics, the business should take the time to work through a process, ensuring that it has considered what users need and want to ensure user adoption and the ease-of-use and features the solution will provide.
To Achieve User Adoption, ROI and TCO Goals, Select the RIGHT BI Tools and Augmented Analytics
It is important to remember that there are also specific features a business should consider, like embedded BI and easy-to-employ Integration APIs, that will assure user adoption and appropriate ROI and TCO. These considerations will affect how well the solution is received, whether users will adopt it and be satisfied with the selection, and how the investment will perform when considering total cost of ownership (TCO) and return on investment (ROI) when compared to other possible uses of the same investment funding.

 

With this foundation of documented features, services, skills and capabilities, the business can implement, manage, upgrade and support Business Intelligence and Augmented Analytics capacity and growth within the organization.

 

‘When you are attempting to transition business users into Citizen Data Scientists, there is bound to be some pushback from users and that pushback, combined with senior management concerns can and WILL bring your project to its knees if you do not anticipate and address these concerns.’

 

To ensure user adoption and achieve the ROI and TCO the business deserves, take the time to do the work. Develop requirements, consider the features and functionality of a solution and compare those to your use cases and your user expectations. INVOLVE your users and middle managers in planning to understand how and when to deploy the tools and how to support your business users as you transition them into Citizen Data Scientists.

 

To find out more about how to ensure Return on Investment (ROI) and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) results, and enable user adoption, read our free White Paper, ‘A Roadmap To ROI And User Adoption Of Augmented Analytics And BI.’ To find out more about our Augmented Analytics And BI ToolsContact Us. Keep pace with changing enterprise needs and support business agility. Let us help you realize your business goals and objectives with fact-based information, and flexible, scalable technology solutions that will support Citizen Data Scientist initiatives, and improved data literacy and data democratization.

 

Original Post : BI Tools and Augmented Analytics That Ensure User Adoption and ROI!

Smarten Support Portal Updates – March – 2025!

Why Choose Augmented Analytics with Low-Code, No-Code Development

Low Code No Code Development Supports Analytics Performance

Within the very near future, it is estimated that 70% of all software and application design will include a component of low-code or no-code development. So, it is no surprise that analytics software and tools are also affected by this trend. While advanced analytics and augmented analytics solutions provide a sophisticated, complicated underpinning of algorithms and analytical techniques, the average enterprise expects (and should look for) tools that are easy to use, so they can improve data literacy and data democratization and leverage analytics within the organization at the business user level, to improve results and efficiency.

It may be difficult to understand how such complex systems can benefit from the no code, low code approach, since the very concept of this approach seems at odds with the complexity of an analytical solution, but nothing could be further from the truth. When applied appropriately, these techniques can benefit the foundation of the augmented analytical solution and the users of those solutions.

  • Time and Expense – In a world where new features and functionality must keep pace with market demand, the emergence of no-code and low-code allows developers to add analytical functionality quickly, while controlling costs and time to market.
  • Business and Market Requirements – As organizations and business users embrace analytics, the need for new types of visualization, reporting and features changes quickly. In order to stay abreast of these changes and offer businesses the products they need, analytical vendors can quickly leverage, modify and develop new approaches to satisfy user requirements. Vendors can accommodate business-specific needs and data visualization requirements without time-consuming, expensive customization.
  • Integration of Third-Party Apps – Low-Code, No-Code capabilities support the easy integration of other enterprise applications and solutions and allow data analysis across the organization.
  • Performance and Scalability – Low-Code and No-Code solutions and platforms enable high-performance, scalable solutions and ensure that businesses can accommodate an expanding user base and data volume.
  • Compliance, Data Security and Industry Standards – No Code, Low-Code development includes data encryption features and user access security controls to mitigate risk, and protect data integrity and privacy.
Augmented Analytics with Low-Code, No-Code Development Provides Performance and Adaptability

If you are still wondering whether low-code and no-code approaches are appropriate for software and applications, consider these predictions and statistics from technology research organizations:

  • Gartner predicts that 75% of new software solutions will incorporate a low-code approach to development.
  • By some estimates, the use of low-code, no-code and artificial intelligence in analytics solutions has increased user access to analytics by as much as 56%.
  • Gartner predicts that organizations that lack a sustainable plan to operationalize and manage data and analytics will face a two-year setback in their data and technology efforts.

Choosing the right self-serve, augmented analytics solution can help the enterprise build a crucial foundation for analytics, for transition of business users into a Citizen Data Scientist role and for improved time-to-market, decision-making and collaboration. The use of new and cutting edge technologies and the seamless incorporation of these technologies is critical to the success of the analytical application implementation and to return on investment (ROI) and total cost of ownership (TCO) metrics.

Select and implement an Augmented Analytics Solution with business intelligence (BI) and advanced capabilities and enjoy the benefits of advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) And Low-Code, No-Code (LCNC) techniques to ensure affordable, flexible solutions that every user can leverage, no matter their skillset or technical capabilities. Read our free article, ‘The Benefits Of Low-Code No-Code in Augmented Analytics.’

Original Post : Why Choose Augmented Analytics with Low-Code, No-Code Development!

Smarten Support Portal Updates – January – 2025!

BI Reporting Tools Can Make or Break Decision-Making!

Choose a BI Reporting Tool that Tells You What You Need to Know!

The ideal business intelligence and analytics solution includes traditional BI features, modern BI and analytics components and a full suite of reporting capabilities that are easy for your team to use, and will produce clear, concise results for fact-based decision-making.

According to a recent TechJury survey:

  • Data analytics makes decision-making 5x faster for businesses.
  • The top three business intelligence trends are data visualization, data quality management, and self-service business intelligence (BI).
  • 7 out of 10 business rate data discovery as very important.

‘A BI reporting tool that enables users to customize their view and approach and is easy to understand and use will make the user more productive and ensure Return on Investment (ROI).’

If you are considering a Business Intelligence or Augmented Analytics solution, be sure to select a software suite that provides your business users with personalized dashboards, multidimensional key performance indicators, and KPI tools, report software, Crosstab and Tabular reports, GeoMaps and deep dive analytics with 100% browser based interface and self-serve features that encourage and support Social BI and collaboration.

Select a Business Intelligence (BI) Reporting Tool That is Flexible, Agile and User-Friendly

By providing your team access to flexible, agile reporting tools, you increase the probability of user adoption, and improve the outcome, with reports and results that are meaningful to the user, and to the target audience of a presentation or distributed report.

Every business has unique reporting and documentation needs. Whether you are a business user or an analyst or IT professional, you use augmented analytics and BI tools in a way that is meaningful to your role. Gathering, preparing and analyzing is important but the final step in this process is equally important and that task often frustrates the user more than anything. Excel, cross-tab and tabular reporting are helpful, but those report and documentation options typically present data in columns and rows. A BI reporting tool that enables users to customize their view and approach and is easy to understand and use will make the user more productive and ensure Return on Investment (ROI).

Consider a Business Intelligence reporting tool that enables report, template and document design and configuration and supports preprinted fixed formats too. IT team members or consultants can leverage a simple, basic programming or scripting environment to define format templates and use data from Datasets and objects to produce stunning pixel perfect reports. Users can preview reports, export data to PDF files and share documents and reports via email at predefined frequency using delivery and publishing agents.

Benefits of Agile, Flexible Business Intelligence Reporting

  • Customize and Format Reports, Documents, Forms and Templates Using Basic Scripting Skills
  • Generate Reports from BI Datasets in Predefined Formats
  • Satisfy Unique Business, Departmental, Functional and Statutory Requirements
  • Present Information in a Clean, Attractive Format for Customers, Partners, Suppliers, Team Members
  • Allows Business Users to Gather, Present and Share Information via Email and Publishing Agent

‘If you are considering a Business Intelligence or Augmented Analytics solution, be sure to select a software suite that provides your business users with personalized dashboards, multidimensional key performance indicators, and KPI tools, report software, Crosstab and Tabular reports, GeoMaps and deep dive analytics.’

For out-of-the-box reporting and flexible, interactive formats, explore our full suite of reporting tools: Pixel Perfect Print ReportsBusiness Intelligence Reporting. If your organization is looking for BI Tools and Augmented Analytics that leverage advanced techniques to keep pace with changing enterprise needs and support business agility, let us help you realize your business goals and objectives with fact-based information, and flexible, scalable technology solutions that will support Citizen Data Scientist initiatives, and improved data literacy and data democratization.

Original Post : BI Reporting Tools Can Make or Break Decision-Making!

Low-Code/No-Code Analytics Design Engenders Solution Agility!

Look for Analytics with Low-Code/No-Code Technology!

The advent of low-code, no-code app and software development has enabled rapid, innovative changes to all types of development projects and that new environment is evident in Modern Business Intelligence (BI) and Augmented Analytics products and solutions.